Philanthropy is playing an increasingly critical role in the life of our community, our country and the world.  As one of the oldest and largest community foundations in the country, the Boston Foundation has made a strong commitment to examining the impact of philanthropy in our city and state—and the challenges faced by foundations and charitable individuals in the 21st century. 

The Boston Foundation invites you to enter into a dialogue about the state of philanthropy through a series of forums and reports designed to explore some of the most critical issues confronting the sector—from strategic foundation grantmaking to charitable giving by individuals—with a special emphasis on Greater Boston.

Philanthropy Spotlight:

Geography and Giving: The Culture of Philanthropy in New England and the Nation High-income Massachusetts residents give more than twice the average given by comparable households nationwide, but middle and lower income residents here, burdened by the high cost of living in the Commonwealth, give less than their peers elsewhere in the country. And when area residents give, they give far more to secular causes than to religious institutions. Those are among the key findings in a study of charitable giving released today by the Boston Foundation. Learn more »

Indicators-related research: October 08, 2009 Connect to the Boston Indicators Project's Civic Vitality sector for philanthropic data, trends, research and resources January 01, 2009 Giving in Today's Economy October 10, 2008 Access the Foundation Center for grantmaking data		Selected grants: October 04, 2007 Boston College Center on Wealth & Philanthropy
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Recent Philanthropy Reports:

Geography and Giving   What are the major characteristics of philanthropy in our region? Geography and Giving is the most nuanced look at the complex patterns and dynamics of regional philanthropic giving ever available in the Boston metropolitan area. Among the revelations of this report is fascinating news about the giving patterns of this area's most affluent population. Read Report

Center on Wealth and Philanthropy Charitable Giving Indices: Social Indicators of Philanthropy by State A report released today by the Boston Foundation drawn on new research by John J. Havens and Paul G. Schervish of the Center on Wealth and Philanthropy at Boston College identifies Massachusetts as a leading state in charitable giving, ranking eighth among the 50 states. Read Report

A Golden Age of Philanthropy? By the year 2055, some $41 trillion will pass from one generation to the next in the U.S. and about $6 trillion of that total will go to charities, according to this groundbreaking study by Paul G. Schervish and John J. Havens of the Center on Wealth and Philanthropy at Boston College. Now the authors have applied their methodology to Greater Boston. What kind of impact might the great wealth transfer have on this community and how can we prepare for it?   Read Report

Geography and Generosity: Boston and Beyond     Findings on the generosity of Massachusetts residents. The report reflects the first year of research conducted by the Boston College Center on Wealth and Philanthropy under the direction of Paul Schervish. Read Report

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Philanthropy Forums:

Geography and Generosity: The Culture of Philanthropy in New England and the Nation. June 12, 2007 The third in a series of Understanding Boston reports and forums on philanthropy in our region finds that high-income Massachusetts residents give more than twice the national average to charity, but middle and lower income residents contribute less than their peers in other states.

A Golden Age of Philanthropy? The Impact of the Great Wealth Transfer on Greater Boston May 17, 2006 Estimates of the much anticipated ‘wealth transfer’ in this country have been a topic of conversation in the nonprofit and financial worlds for years—and the numbers are staggering. By the year 2055, some $41 trillion will change hands as Americans pass their accumulated assets from one generation to the next. It will be the largest intergenerational transfer of wealth in the history of the United States—and not all of these resources will be passed on to heirs; even the most modest predictions anticipate that about $6 trillion will be donated to charities.

Geography and Generosity: Boston and Beyond November 08, 2005 Countering the Myth of the Commonwealth’s Lack of GenerosityMassachusetts has long been ranked one of the least generous states in the nation, according to the Generosity Index, a widely used list published by the Catalogue for Philanthropy, which ranks all 50 states by how much residents give to charity. The 2002 ranking, for instance, placed Massachusetts at a shocking 49th. Now, a new Boston Foundation commissioned report by philanthropy expert Paul G. Schervish, Ph.D., contains a very different message.

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